Man Killed, 5 Arrested in Border Confrontation
One man was fatally shot and five others arrested in a confrontation between federal agents and a suspected smuggler at the San Ysidro border crossing Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The six, who included suspected illegal immigrants, were in a sport-utility vehicle trying to race into Mexico after the driver apparently noticed he was being trailed by Border Patrol agents.
Officials said the black SUV was westbound on state Highway 905 and then headed south on Interstate 5 toward the border.
The Border Patrol had received a call from someone alleging that the driver picked up migrants on the U.S. side of the Otay Mesa crossing to the east of San Ysidro, officials said.
Border Patrol and Customs agents then blocked the southbound lanes at the San Ysidro crossing.
When the SUV stopped about 50 feet from the crossing, agents ordered the occupants out and began pounding on the windows with nightsticks.
The driver attempted to drive away as agents stood in front of the vehicle, officials said. Agents shot the driver twice, killing him. The five passengers were arrested without incident. Some of them were cut by shattered glass.
Police kept the border crossing closed for hours as they investigated the incident, causing a backup on Interstate 5 that stretched for miles.
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